Game thread

[Kait14]

wow - ND is an experienced team with a lot of offensive threats. They are well coached, and in very good position to go deep in the tourney this year. UConn has had these flaws all year long, and they have been exposed - it is nothing new to the folks who have been watching them all the while.

UConn will come back, and all of these players who now are being verbally chided on this board in a year will be receiving screaming accolades from the same folks. The players will mature, and hopefully folks will realize this and change their tone just a bit.

Finally, it's just so easy to play and/or coach a game from an armchair. So easy...

lol love these kinds of posts.. First of all, I have been watching UConn play all year, and every year, for the last 23 years.. So I know how they play.. They have NOT played THIS poorly all year.. Of course I'll cheer them on if they turn things around, but why would I praise such poor play? Sorry, but I'm not going to just "be nice and say it's okay", because it's not .. they need to step up.. Stef and Tiff were the ONLY two players who actually played to their potential tonight.. And please, spare me the armchair coach bs.. I've played and coached my whole life, I know how it goes

 

[StorrsLight]

I'm not sold on ND yet. If you cover their perimeter the dont make shots. The guards for Uconn are playing slow,
Doty horrible needs to come off the bench she is much to slow for a guard orientated team. Next time they play put Stokes in and play high pick and roll they did that all night and Dolson started out good until she missed 3 chippies in a row. This hurts yes because I dislike ND so much and think Diggins is drama queen. ND does not win the Big East Chip mark it down...................

 

[DaveDragon]

Now it's really starting to feel like 2005, 2006, right after DT left.

That was low!!! But possibly true.

 

[Kait14]

OK so you identified some problems why were they happening?

I don't know, I'm not the players, you'd have to ask them that question

 

[RadyLady]

I foresee one of the extension schools getting new uniforms again. Thanks, Nike.

me, too

 

[Huskymaniac]

Losing that chick in Delaware was huge. We will never know the whole story.

 

[Kait14]

Doty has physical limitations, and it's becoming a liability. She is Geno's favorite, and that has me concerned about next year.

I don't think tonight had anything to do with her physically.. she is playing a mind game with herself.. this is all in her head

 

[UConnCat]

Now it's really starting to feel like 2005, 2006, right after DT left.

Doesn't feel like that at all to me. Many expected this to be a transition year. The team has lost three games to 2 superior teams. This team is younger than the '05 and '06 teams and the immediate future (as in next year) looks very bright.

 

[RadyLady]

And please, spare me the armchair coach bs.. I've played and coached my whole life, I know how it goes

If that's the case, how could you miss how good ND is this year?

 

[Dairyair]

Not as disappointed in the outcome as I am in the effort. ND out boarded us, turned us over, and generally out-hustled us. I still believe we have the talent to make some noise in both the upcoming tournaments.

 

[cardfan]

Doesn't feel like that at all to me. Many expected this to be a transition year. The team has lost three games to 2 superior teams. This team is younger than the '05 and '06 teams and the immediate future (as in next year) looks very bright.

agree.

 

[Samanthabrown3]

Doty has physical limitations, and it's becoming a liability. She is Geno's favorite, and that has me concerned about next year.

Geno doesn't let his likes or dislikes interfere with who's going to play.

 

[RadyLady]

lol love these kinds of posts.. First of all, I have been watching UConn play all year, and every year, for the last 23 years.. So I know how they play.. They have NOT played THIS poorly all year.. Of course I'll cheer them on if they turn things around, but why would I praise such poor play? Sorry, but I'm not going to just "be nice and say it's okay", because it's not .. they need to step up.. Stef and Tiff were the ONLY two players who actually played to their potential tonight.. And please, spare me the armchair coach bs.. I've played and coached my whole life, I know how it goes

and who can argue with this? Anyone I suppose, just not me.

 

[Aluminny69]

I don't think tonight had anything to do with her physically.. she is playing a mind game with herself.. this is all in her head

I think she has lost a step or two in quickness, and doesn't seem to jump very much. Doty took one shot that had very bad form, and pass up at least two other shots. When she ended up with the ball near the basket with four seconds left on the shot clock, she passed up a chance to drive to the basket, I just think it may have been more physical than mental. Maybe both. Only she knows.

 

[RadyLady]

agree.

+1

 

[Icebear]

I don't know, I'm not the players, you'd have to ask them that question

No, if you want to blame them then figure out the other options they have. It's not like they want those problems. Bitching about the players is something anyone can do. You are much more capable than that.

ND had us caught between two competing problems and ones that are always deadly when you are bracketed between them. 1) We needed to get back to stop ND's fast break. So everyone was trying to make a jail break to get back. 2) Problem that then kills you on the offensive boards. So how do you stop that?

 

[boontonbomber]

what's with pulling the starters with time left to at least show some fight to the end. even staring a loss in the face, you do everything you can to cut the margin down. i've never seen a coach pull that , especially in a game like this. it was a great game, only to have it end with a move like that. rather embarrassing, and ,imo, showed a real lack of character on auriemma's part. geno flat out quit.

 

[ASweet3781]

Too many guards just not stepping up for us right now. We play 4 guards and right now we get good performances from 1 and a half of them.

I hope people's expectations have come back down to earth over the last week and a half. If Geno gets this team to a Final 4, the season is a success. Period. This team has clear flaws. They also have proven they can compete with anyone. But we are not going to beat an Baylor or ND unless we play the game of our lives. Or they have an off game. And there are plenty of other teams that can beat us on a neutral court if players like Bria Caroline, and Kelly are going to struggle.

 

[Kait14]

If that's the case, how could you miss how good ND is this year?

I'm not saying they are not good.. I'm saying they are not THAT good, if we played the way we were capable of playing, it would have been a different score.. Not necessarily saying we would have won, but we certainly wouldn't have lost by 13

 

[Kait14]

what's with pulling the starters with time left to at least show some fight to the end. i've never seen a team do that, especially in a game like this. it was a great game, only to have it end with a move like that. rather embarrassing, and gutless.

They didn't deserve to be in

 

[Aluminny69]

No, if you want to blame them then figure out the other options. It's not like they want those problems.

ND had us caught between two competing problems and ones that are always deadly. We needed to get back to stop ND's fast break. So everyone was trying to make a jail break to get back. Problem that then kills you on the offensive boards. So how do you stop that?

IceBear, why do you think Geno elected to go zone the entire game? That pretty well negates Kelly strength as a lock down defender. If you're going to play zone, why not play another offensive threat other than Kelly?

 

[Samanthabrown3]

They didn't deserve to be in

I think that's what Geno was saying to them.

 

[Kait14]

I think she has lost a step or two in quickness, and doesn't seem to jump very much. Doty took one shot that had very bad form, and pass up at least two other shots. When she ended up with the ball near the basket with four seconds left on the shot clock, she passed up a chance to drive to the basket, I just think it may have been more physical than mental. Maybe both. Only she knows.

I'm sure you've played, and I'm certainly not accusing you of not being in the situation, but I have done that same thing (passing up wide open shots like that) and it was because I was not confident in my shot and playing mind games with myself.. she just looked lost

 

[Icebear]

IceBear, why do you think Geno elected to go zone the entire game? That pretty well negates Kelly strength as a lock down defender. If you're going to play zone, why not play another offensive threat other than Kelly?

My guess is and it is only a guess is that he knows the team is tired, especially, after playing at Marquette on Sat. and then traveling home from the game tonight. We did not handle that travel scenario earlier and did not tonight either.

 

[Kait14]

No, if you want to blame them then figure out the other options they have. It's not like they want those problems. Bitching about the players is something anyone can do. You are much more capable than that.

ND had us caught between two competing problems and ones that are always deadly when you are bracketed between them. 1) We needed to get back to stop ND's fast break. So everyone was trying to make a jail break to get back. 2) Problem that then kills you on the offensive boards. So how do you stop that?

It's simple Ice.. They got out hustled, they didn't even TRY to get offensive rebounds, they ran back to play defense as soon as the shot went up. They played sloppy